Quickly mountable, cavity type pipe organ valve



Nov. 13, 1962 c. A. RAYMOND 3,063,325

I QUICKLY MOUNTABLE, CAVITY TYPE PIPE ORGAN VALVE 4 Sheets-Sheet. 1

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QUICKLY MOUNTABLE, CAVITY TYPE PIPE ORGAN VALVE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 22, 1957 "M." ""wm.

INVENTOR. A. IZAYMQMD CHESTEQ Nov. 13, 1962 QUICKLY MOUNTABLE, CAVITY TYPE PIPE ORGAN VALVE Filed July 22, 1957 leg C. A- RAYMOND 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

CHEQTEQ AJZAYMQND c. A. RAYMOND we 83 PIG-.1. M

QUICKLY MOUNTABLE, CAVITY TYPE PIPE ORGAN VALVE INVENTOR. 551122 APAYMOND Nov. 13, 1962 Filed July 22, 1957 United States Patent 3,063,325 QUICKLY MOUNTABLE, CAVITY TYPE PIPE ORGAN VALVE Chester A. Raymond, 44 Spring St., Princeton, NJ. Filed July 22, 1957, Ser. No. 673,326 Claims. (Cl. 84-332) This invention relates generally to pipe organ building, rebuilding, and related arts. More particularly, the invention has reference to the valve mechanisms for organs of the type including a universal wind chest and a tracker action.

In an organ of the type described above, openings are formed in the toe board (also known as the top board), which openings must be bored to particular sizes and shapes, to provide seats for the toes or tips of the organ pipes that extend upwardly from the wind chest. These openings must be sized with glue, and the formation of the openings and the preparation of the same to receive the toes of the pipes represents a rather laborious, time-consuming operation requiring a considerable amount of skill so far as the particular worker is concerned.

The openings are arranged in straight rows, extending longitudinally of the wind chest, and corresponding open ings of the several rows are in turn aligned With one another in straight rows perpendicular to the first named rows, that is, extending transversely of the wind chest. In alignment with and extending below the several transverse rows within the wind chest are the tracker bars, connected to the several valves of the pipes seated on the toe board in communication with the openings of the transverse row with which the tracker is aligned.

The stop action of an organ of the type described above comprises metal stop bars, which extend in parallel relation over the entire length of the Wind chest, at right angles to the trackers, one stop bar for each longitudinal row of openings. The arrangement is such that the stop bar is pivoted between on and off positions. When the stop bar is in its on position, any pipe valve in the longitudinal row along which the stop bar extends will be caused to open if the tracker associated therewith is moved by operation of the key with which the particular tracker is connected. Said key would be part of the manual organ or operation. When the stop bar is in off position, the mentioned movement of the tracker responsive to operation of its associated key has no effect on the valve, and the valve remains closed.

In a typical installation each tracker runs across the entire width of the air chest, while each stop bar runs along the entire length of the chest.

Each stop bar, thus, is associated with a plurality of pipes speaking with different notes in a single stop, rank or register of pipes, while each tracker is associated only with pipes of a number of ranks that speak with corresponding notes. In an arrangement of this type, on shifting of a tracker from its normal, rest position responsive to depression of the key that operates said tracker, all the corresponding pipes of the several ranks, the valves of which pipes are operated by the particular tracker, will speak if the stop bars extending in controlling relation to the valves of said pipes are in on position. Conversely, even when the tracker is so shifted, the corresponding pipes of the several ranks will not speak in any instance in which their associated stop bars are in off positions.

This is a well known arrangement in pipe organs, and is one which will be found, for example, in Austin Patent No. 1,107,129, which is merely one of many Austin patents in which this type of basic tracker and stop bar arrangement is illustrated and described, such an arrangement being typical of the Austin organ construction.

Heretofore, in organs, having a tracker action of the type described above, various types of valve assemblies 3,063,325 Patented Nov. 13,, 1962 have been devised, and more commonly, electropneumatic actions have been utilized. In such an arrangement, electric circuits are closed responsive to operation of the keys of the manual or pedal organ, and this in turn causes the operation of pneumatics which operate the trackers between their respective extreme positions. In other arrangements, individual pipe pneumatics, one for each valve, are provided. Still further, various other types of actions have been devised, as compared to bar stop actions of the kind referred to hereinbefore, such as pitmanand. ventil stop action pneumatic mechanisms.

All of these have considerable disadvantages. Deterioration is likely to occur, when pneumatics are employed, in the leather or other flexible portions of the pneumatics; Then again, pitman and ventil stop actions have certain notable disadvantages, as for example, the serious disadvantage of requiring disassem-bly of substantial portions of the structure, to obtain access to a malfunctioning component.

Apart from the above, in tracker action organs, each valve, generally speaking, must be assembled wholly or at least in part at the exact location at which it is to be mounted, thus extending considerably the time and cost of building or rebuilding of an organ. This is due to the fact that a large number of mechanical connections must be effected when the valve is mounted in place to control air flow from the wind chest into the organ pipe, with the connections being effected to the tracker in a manner that has heretofore involved the expenditure of considerable time and labor.

In view of the above, one object of importance is to provide a pipe organ valve having particular adaptability for use in the various environments referred toabove, which valve will be characterized by its adaptability to be preassembled as a complete unit, at the bench or factory, at relatively low cost, by comparatively unskilled workers, with the valve subsequently being swiftly mountable in place against the underside of the toe board, in operative relation to the tracker and stop bar.

Another object is to make use of highly durable, inexpensive components to the maximum extent possible in,

the valve mechanism, where heretofore relatively expensive materials, involving an excessive amount of skilled labor in their assembly, and having, nevertheless, the tendency to deteriorate with too much rapidity, havebeen employed. v r

A further object isto incorporate in the valve assembly.

' a seat or capwhich'serves two functions simultaneously:

first, mounting the entire valve unit to the underside of the toe board; and second, providing a seat for the associated organ pipe in a manner eliminating completely the boring,

burning, and shellacking of pipe toe holes heretofore use of easily preassembled, relatively inexpensive components, but at the same time will be so designed as to include in each assembly an expansion cavity, this having been recognized for many years as a means that will produce better speech in low pressure organ pipes.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved pallet valve element on the valve mechanism, thatwill be particularly designed topermit a greater amount of wind to enter the cavity of the valve body, at a higher speed, with a proportionately less distance of movement of the valve from closed to open position.

Still another object is to insure the accurate and full seating of the valve element whenever it is moved to closed position. I

A further object of importance is to incorporate in the valve-operating means inexpensive, easily fabricated levers of a material that is not subject to deterioration even when in use fora long period of time, utilizing with these materials connecting elements that will be of simple, inexpensive construction and will insure against malfunctioning under all circumstances.

Still another object is to provide for an ease of adaptation of the invention for pedal borrow or duplexing, by simple connection of a straight wire through an eyelet on an operating lever, with the connecting wire extending between said lever and the borrow or duplex magnet, regardless of the position of the stop bar. In other words, in carrying out this object it is proposed to so design the device that one will be able to operate a valve to open position even through the stop may be in off position, through depression of a key of the pedal organ that closes contacts that will energize a borrow or duplex magnet.

Another object is a provide a trace or tracker strip of very simple, inexpensive construction, such as of strip plastic material, having a simple spring clip connection to the adjacentlever of the valve assembly, for transmitting motion to said lever on operation of the tracker bar from its rest'position.

Still another object is to provide a valve assembly of the character stated which will be of low cost both from the standpoint of materials used and from the standpoint of labor costs in the assembly operation, and which in addition will be particularly adapted for manufacturing and stocking of complete cavity valve units, to be used universally in any organs having the same type of chest.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views,and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a'wind chest and of the tracker, stop bar, valve assembly, and pipes associated therewith;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view transversely through the wind chest, showing a fragmentary portion of the Wind chest and illustrating a means for operating the tracker, said means being shown in full and dotted lines in off and on positions respectively;

FIGURE 3 is an enlargedtransversesectional view on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1, showing the spring clip connector between the tracker bar and the adjacent lever;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the valves, taken substantially on line 4-4 of'FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view on the same scale as FIGURE 4, taken approximately on line 5-5 of FIG- URE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view of a wind chest showing one of the valve assemblies in side elevation therein, said assembly being illustrated with its movable parts or components in a normal, rest position with the stop in off position, the valve element closed, and the tracker in its normal retracted or rest position;

FIGURE 7-is-a View like FIGURE 6 in which the stop is in on position and the tracker has been shifted to operating position responsive to depression of a key of 'the manual organ, the valve being shown as open under these conditions;

FIGURE 8 is a view like FIGURE 6 in which, with the stop in on position and with the tracker in retracted or rest position, the valve element has been operated to open position responsive to operation of a pedal of the pedal organ, in a duplexing or pedal borrow action permitted by the invention;

FIGURE 9 is a view like FIGURE 6 in which, with the stop in off position and with the tracker 'in retracted'or rest position, the pedal organ has been operated to open the valve;

FIGURE 10 is a view of one of said assemblies as seen from the right of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section of a modified construction, the wind chest being shown fragmentarily and in vertical section, a removable insert being shown in seated and in removed positions in full and dotted lines respectively;

FIGURE 12 is a front elevational view of the valve shown in FIGURE 11, as seen from the line 1212 of FIGURE ll, the pallet valve element and operating levers not being shown;

FIGURE 13 is a transverse sectional view through the valve of FIGURE 11, substantially on line 1313 of FIGURE 11;

FIGURE 14 is a transverse sectional view substantially on line 1414 of FIGURE 11; and

FIGURE 15 is an exploded perspective view, on a reduced scale, of the valve shown in FIGURE 11, with the pallet valve element removed, the lower end of the valve being broken away.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral 12 generally designates a conventional Wind chest, having a toe board 14, also known as a top board.

Conventionally, the pipes are seated directly in openings formed in the toe board, which openings are first bored to the selected size and shape, their burned, sized with glue, and otherwise conditioned for the purpose of receiving the pipes. This is a laborious and time-consuming operation, requiring considerable skill, and one of the functions of the valve constituting the present invention is to eliminate the necessity of so preparing the toe board.

The Wind chest (see FIGURE 2) also includes a back wall 16, and end walls 18.

Extending upwardly from the toe board 1 are the pipes '20. In FIGURE 1, only two of the pipes are shown, but it will be understood that these are only two of the pipes of a complete rank or stop of pipes.

The pipes of course are also completely conventional, including the usual tapered foot terminating at its lower end in a toe or tip 22 (see FIGURE 4).

All this is conventional construction and does not per se constitute part of the present invention.

Usually, the foot of the pipe extends into a tapered seat or hole formed in the toe board, which hole as previously described herein must ordinarily be specially prepared to receive the toe of the pipe.

Designated generally at 24 is a valve according to the present invention. A valve 24 would be associated with each pipe 29, and all the valves would be identical, with the exception that the caps thereof, to be described in detail hereinafter, would be provided in various sizes to receive the correspondingly differently proportioned toesof the various pipes, and with the further exception that the bodies of the'valves might also be made in various sizes. In any event, each valve includes a Ver tically elongated valve body 26, which is hollowly formed as shown in FIGURE 4. The valve body is of rectangular cross section, and at its upper end is integrally formed with a correspondingly rectangular, outwardly d1rected collar 28 forming a shoulder adapted to bear against the underside of the toe board 14. In a preferred embodiment, the shoulder 28 extends only along the sides and back of the valve body 26, with the shoulder being cut off squarely at the front of the valve body,

fiush with the front surface of the body as clearly shown in FIGURE 1.

Above the shoulder 28 the valve body is integrally formed with an upwardly projecting, externally threaded neck 30.

The valve body 26 (again referring to FIGURE 4) has a cavity or passage 32, which is of a cross section corresponding to that of the body 26, said cavity 32 extending from the lower end portion of the body to the base of the neck 30. At this location, the cavity 32 of rectangular cross section merges into a cylindrical or circularly cross-sectioned bore 34 or extension of the cavity, which extends axially within neck 30 and opens upon the upper end of the neck to constitute an outlet of the cavity.

In the front wall of the body 26 there is formed a vertically elongated, rectangular'inlet 36 of the valve, communicating with cavity 32 and extending for the major part of the length of the cavity as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5.

At its lower extremity, valve body 26 includes an integral, depending leg 38 provided at the front of the valve body and terminating at its lower end in an enlargement 40 the front surface of which is formed with a low, rounded boss 42 constituting, in a manner to be made presently apparent, a fulcrum.

On the top surface of the shoulder provided by the collar 28, there is provided, medially between opposite sides of the body at the back thereof, a rib or lug 44 of triangular cross section, said lug or rib (see FIGURES 4 and 5) being adapted to engage in a complementary, downwardly opening notch 44 formed in the toe board 14. The rib 44, as shown in FIGURE 4, is integrally formed on collar 28. When considered in the direction of its length (see FIGURE 4) the rib is extended radially of the neck 30 from the base of the neck to the periphery of collar 28. When considered in transverse section, the rib is triangular as aforenoted (see FIG- URE 5) and projects upwardly from collar 28.

It will be understood that the notches that receive the lugs 44 can be formed by means of a suitable tool applied to the toe board, and these notches have the purpose of providing, in cooperation with the lugs 44, positioning means for the several valves designed to insure that the valves will face perfectly to the front, in the exact position desired in respect to the tracker and stop action bars that will be described in full detail hereafter.

The notches that receive the lugs or ribs 44 extend radially outwardly .a short distance from, and are in communication at their lower ends with, openings 46 formed in the toe board 14. In this connection, the openings 46 can be easily and swiftly drilled or bored in the toe board, and need not be of an exact, predetermined diameter, nor need they be flared or tapered in the manner that has previously been required. Still further, the surface of the wall of the opening need not be specially prepared by burning, shellacking, etc., and thus the openings 46 can be merely drilled with a conventional drilling means, by comparatively inexperienced help in a very short time.

Designated at 48 is a pipe toe socket or valve cap, constituting a part of the present invention. Like the body, this is molded of a plastic material, so that it can be inexpensively produced in substantial quantities, and

will not be subject to deterioration over a long period of time.

In any event, the valve cap 48 includes a flat, disc-like portion adapted to seat against the top surface of the toe board 14, in concentric relation to the opening 46, said portion being substantially larger in diameter than the opening 46 as clearly shown in FIGURE 4, and being formed at its periphery with angularly, uniformly spaced notches 50, arranged in pairs with the notches of each pair being in diametrically aligned relation so as to receive the jaws of a spanner wrench or the like, not shown, whereby the cap or socket can be swiftly secured in place.

Centrally formed in the disc-like top portion of the socket is an upwardly flaring seat 52 for the toe 22 of the pipe. At this point, it will be noted that the pipe toe sockets 48 can be made in a comparatively few different sizes, with each size being so proportioned as to the seat 52 as to be adapted for properly seating therein all pipes falling within a particular range as regards the sizes of the toes thereof. It has been established that only a comparatively few sizes of caps 48 are needed, to accommodate all the well known pipe sizes, that is, a small size can accommodate all pipes up to a certain size, then a next larger size of cap would accommodate another rather large range of pipe sizes, etc. The body 26, as previously mentioned, could also be molded in various sizes. Regardless of the size of a cap, it would be adapted for swift and easy connection to the neck 30 of the particular valve body selected for use therewith, and in one commercial embodiment, the differences in the valve caps may reside only in their pipe-toe receiving portions, and not in the portions that are in direct connection to the neck of the valve body. Thus, a few cap moldings would be all that is required to permit the assembly of valves for all pipe sizes, since the flaring of the seat 52, .and the minimum and maximum diameters of the seat, would adapt the seat for receiving any toes 22 the diameters of which fall within the minimum and maximum diameters of the flared seat 52.

Integrally formed on the underside of the flat top portion of the cap 48, and also constituting a part of the cap or toe socket, is a depending skirt 54, of a diameter sufficient to permit it to be received within the opening 46, comparatively snugly, although it is not essential that there be a perfect fit between the skirt and said opening. The skirt 54 is of a length slightly less than the thickness of the toe board, and is internally threaded to receive the neck 30, with the downward tapering of the seat 52 defining a shoulder 55 (FIGURE 4) against which the upper end of the neck 30 will abut when the cap and the valve body are connected to each other.

It will be seen that the Valve body and cap are swiftly connectable to the toe board 14, merely by extension of the neck 30 upwardly through the opening 46, after which the cap isextended into the opening and is threadedly engaged with the neck 30 until ultimately the top portion of the cap and the collar 28- of the body are drawn into a tight, sealing engagement with the top and bottom surfaces, respectively, of the toe board 14.

From the description so far provided, it Will be seen that to mount the valve assembly to the toe board, one need merely form the positioning notch previously described herein, after which the valve body is disposed with the lug 44 engaged in said notch. With the valve body held in place within opening 46, so as not to rotate from the assigned position thereof, the valve cap is applied in the manner previously described and when the valve cap and body are connected to each other and to the toe board in the manner described, there will result a seat for the toe of the pipe 20, which seat need not be specially prepared and which is automatically provided by the very means, namely the cap, that connects the body to the toe board.

A pallet valve element, generally designated 56, constitutes a part of the valve 24, and normally prevents communication between the interior of the wind chest and the cavity 32. When the valve element is in the closed position shown in FIGURE 4, air cannot enter the cavity. When, however, the valve element is shifted to open position, air passes into the cavity through the inlet, and being under pressure within the wind chest, will be forced upwardly into the pipe, to cause the pipe to speak.

The valve element 56 has a formation which has been found to be particularly advantageous in producing good results. It is of vertically elongated formation, projectmg at its sides, and at its upper and lower ends, beyond the corresponding edges of the rectangular inlet opening 36. Member 56 is of laminated formation, including a backing plate 58, formed of sheet plastic or' the like, to the inner face of which is secured a layer 60 of felt or its equivalent, which in turn is faced with a thin piece of leather 62, in a preferred embodiment.

At its upper end, the element 56 is formed with an opening 64, disposed medially between the opposite sides of the member, and loosely receiving a pivot pin 66 embedded in or otherwise fixedly secured to the front wall of the valve body 26, immediately above the inlet opening 36. Pin 66 may have an upturned distal end, to hold the element 56 thereon. The element 56 slidingly pivots on the pin 66, and is adapted to swing outwardly from the front wall of the valve body 26, for opening and closing the inlet 36. The element 56, responsive only to a small .amount of travel from closed to open position, is adapted to instantaneously open the inlet to a substantial degree, permitting a greater amount of wind to enter the cavity, at a higher speed, instantaneously, than would normally be the case.

Normally biasing the element 56 to its closed position is a thin wire spring 68 having an upper end embedded in the front wall of the body 26, and having at its lower end a reversely curving extension 70 so as to provide a smoothly rounded, curved surface in engagement with the element 56 approximately medially of the width and height of the member. Proper seating of the element 56 under all circumstances is thus assured, since the spring exerts a continuing pressure on the same in a manner such that any tendency of the element to rock to a position which would not cause it to seat properly is counteracted, with the element adjusting itself to the seat defined by the edge portion of the inlet opening 36.

Also constituting a part of the element 56 is a depending, plate-like extension 72 cemented or otherwise fixedly secured to the outer surface of the lower portion of the plate 58. Extension 72 extends the full width of the element 56, and extends downwardly below the lower extremity of plate 58 a short distance. The downwardly projecting portion of plate 72 has a notch 74 intermediate the opposite side edges of the plate 72, loosely receiving a forwardly projecting, straight guide pin 76 embedded in or otherwise fixedly secured to the front wall of the body 26 immediately below the inlet opening 36.

A lever 78 is formed of an elongated, comparatively thin length of plastic strip material, and at its upper end (FIGURES 4 and 5) has an upwardly opening notch 80 registering with the notch 74. Lever 78, intermediate its ends, has an opening 82 loosely receiving a forwardly projecting fulcrum pin 83 embedded in the boss 42. Lever 78 is thus mounted for rocking movement intermediate its ends, on the fulcrum defined by the boss or lug 42.

Designated at 84 is a lower lever, also formed from a length of plastic strip material. This has at its upper end a longitudinal notch 86 opening upwardly and registering with the opening 82 to receive the pin 83. Lever 84 is in face-to-face contact with lever 78, fully from the fulcrum point of the lever 78 to the lower extremity of said lever 78. Lever 84 projects downwardly a substantial distance below the lever 78, for a purpose to be made apparent hereinafter.

Connecting the lower end of the lever 78 with the ad jacent, intermediate portion of the lever 84 is an eyelet 88, which can be applied by a conventional eyeletting machine, thus adding to the simplicity of the construction and the low cost with which the parts can be assembled.

Positioned through the eyelet 88 is a thin wire connecting rod 90 the forward end of which is bent upon itself and projected laterally at 92 to provide an abutment limiting the rod 90 against movement in one direction relative to the levers 78, 84, that is, to the left in FIGURE 4. Rod 90 can, however, move freely to the right in FIGURE 4 in respect to the levers.

The rod 90, at its rear end, has a laterally projecting finger 94 holding the rod assembled with the lower end of the armature ,8 of a magnet used in a pedal borrow or duplexing operation in a manner to be hereinafter described. Armature 98 at its lower end has an opening 96 loosely receiving the connecting rod 90.

The armature 98 is pivoted intermediate its ends upon the distal end of a horizontal leg of an angular bracket 190, secured fixedly by screws 102 or their equivalent to the back wall of the body 26. Said horizontal leg of the bracket has a wide, rearwardly opening recess 104 receiving armature 98, with a pin 106 extending across the recess to pivotally support the armature.

The electromagnet 108, supported upon the bracket 245-8, has a cushion 110 of felt or the like, limiting the clockwise swinging movement of the armature 98 from its normal, FIGURE 4 position. The upper end of the armature includes the forwardly projecting extension 112, adapted to be attracted to the beveled core 114 of the electromagnet when the electromagnet is energized.

It will be understood that the electromagnet has a suitable electrical connection with the pedal organ of the device, such that on depression of a particular pedal, contacts will be closed causing electromagnet 108 to be energized, attracting .armature 8 to shift rod 90 to the left in FIGURE 4.

Designated at 116 is a narrow, elongated, downwardly opening notch (FIGURE 3) formed in and extending longitudinally of the lower end portion of the lower lever 84. The notch or recess 116 receives, somewhat loosely, the tracker bar 118. Tracker bar 118 is horizontally reciprocable below the valve assembly. In accordance with the invention, the tracker bar 118 can be formed of a thin plastic strip material, the same as that used for the levers 78, 84. The tracker 118 will extend transversely of the wind chest in a typical installation, that is, from front to back of the wind chest, below all the corresponding pipes of a plurality of stops of pipes.

Tracker 118 may be shifted by any of various means.

In the illustrated embodiment, however, the means for operating the tracker has been selected as one that is wholly electrical in operation as shown in FIGURE .2. In this arrangement, the tracker 118 at one end has a reduced, longitudinal tongue 121, with which is detachably connected a small spring clip 123, holding the tongue 121 assembled with the lower end portion of the armature of an electromagnet 128 supported upon a bracket 130 of inverted L-shape, said bracket being bolted or otherwise secured to back wall 16 above tracker 118. The winding 132, when energized, causes the beveled core 133 to attract the forwardly projecting extension of an armature 134, pivoting between the full and dotted line positions of FIGURE 2 upon trunnions 135, that seat in notches formed in bracket 130 at opposite sides of a center opening of the bracket through which the armature extends. Hold-down means 137 is secured to the bracket to extend over the trunnions 135.

Limiting swinging movement of the armature in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot, beyond the full line, normal position of FIGURE 2, is a felt covered head 138 mounted upon a horizontally, outwardly proecting stem 136 of the bracket, a compression, coil spring 140 being circumposed about the stem and bearing against the lower portion of the armature tending to bias the armature into engagement with head 138,

It will be seen that when the electromagnet is energized, the armature will be attracted to the dotted line posltion, and the pivotal movement of the armature will be translated into horizontal, longitudinal movement of the tracker 118 to the left in the several figures of the drawing, it being understood that there will be a loose pivotal connection between the tongue 121 and the armature.

In FIGURE 3, there is shown the means whereby the lower lever 84 is assembled with the tracker 118. Said means includes a thin spring wire clip 12%, approximately C-shaped, said clip including a bight portion 121' from which extend, in diverging relation, straight legs terminating at their free ends in inwardly offset, outwardly projecting extensions 122, forming crimps in the free end portions of the legs to hold the legs assembled with the tracker bar 118, through openings 124 rovided in the upper portion of the tracker bar and notches 126 formed in the lower edge of the bar. Preferably, the tracker has a longitudinal series of openings 124, the several openings of said series being transversely aligned with notches 126 arranged in a corresponding series. This provides for selected placement of the clip 120, so that adjustments can be made directly at the location of installation of the valve.

As shown to particular advantage in FIGURE 1, extending within the wind chest, above and at right angles to the tracker 118, are the stop bars 142. These would be of metal material, and said stop bars are mounted for swinging movement between opposite extreme positions angularly spaced approximately 90 degrees apart as shown in FIGURES 6 and 7. Each stop bar \142 extends in parallel relation to and below a rank of pipes 20, and any of various means may be employed for mounting the stop bars for swinging movement through the mentioned 90 of travel. In a typical embodiment, selected valve bodies would be used as means from which supports for the stop bar can depend. It may be desired, for example, that the stop bar 142 be pivotally suspended through the medium of closely spaced arms 144 (FIG- URES 9 and 10), having at their lower ends downwardly opening notches in which bar 142 is fixedly engaged, and having adjacent their upper ends transverse, horizontal openings receiving the outwardly projecting extensions 146 of support arms 148 of inverted L-shape, which arms at the ends remote from the extensions 146 would be embedded in or otherwise fixedly secured to the front wall of the valve body immediately adjacent the same.

It will be apparent that it is merely necessary that the bar 142 be properly supported for pivotal movement, and obviously, it is not essential that it be pivotally suspended from each and every valve body associated with the pipes of a particular rank.

The means for rocking the bar 142 between its FIG- URE 6 and FIGURE 7 positions is not illustrated, and can be any conventional means which has heretofore been devised for stop actions of this type.

It is appropriate now to consider the particular operating characteristics of the valve when it is used in the prescribed relationship to the tracker 118 and stop bar 142. The tracker 118 is operated, in a typical installation, by the manual organ or keyboard, while the stop bar is operated by push-pull devices such as stop knobs, not shown. The depression of a selected key of the manual energizes a corresponding electromagnet 128, so that the tracker shifts from its normal, rest position of FIGURE 6 to the left to its FIGURE 7 position.

Assuming, accordingly, that the stop action bar 142 is in off position as shown in FIGURE 6-, that is, in a freely depending position spaced outwardly from the levers 78, 84, and assuming, further, thatthe tracker is in its rest position, the parts will appear as in FIG- URE 6, that is, the pallet val-ve element will be closed.

If, now, one were to operate the key adapted for energizing winding 132, thus to shift tracker bar 118 to the left from its FIGURE 6 position, the tracker will move to its FIGURE 7 position. This will exert a force on the lower end of the lower lever 84, tending to shift the same to the left in FIGURE 7.

If the stop action bar 142 has been shifted from its 01f position (FIGURE 6) to its on position (FIGURE 7), it will be in engagement with the upper end portion of the lower lever 84. Therefore, when the lower lever is shifted by the tracker 118, it will fulcrum or pivot on the bar 142, that is, the lever 84 will rock clockwise in FIGURE 7 about the point a in this figure of the drawing.

This will cause the lever 84 to travel to the left in 10 FIGURE 7 at the location of its connection to the lower end of the upper lever 78, that is, at the location of the eyelet 88. Connecting rod is carried to the left with the lever 84, but as noted, has a lost motion connection with the lower end of armature 98, so that the armature is not moved.

The travel of the eyelet 88 to the left in FIGURE 7 causes the lower end of the lever 78 to be swung to the left with the eyelet in this figure of the drawing, and this is translated into rocking movement of the upper lever 78 on the fulcrum 42, causing the upper extremity of the lever 78 to travel to the right in FIGURE 7, thus swinging the pallet valve element 56 to open position. This admits air under pressure to the pipe 20 in the manner previously described herein.

Referring now to FIGURE -8, it will be assumed that the stop action bar 142 is in on position. Under these circumstances, one may open the valve by pedal operation, even though the tracker 118 (manual operation) remains in its rest position. In other words, pedal borrow or duplexing is permitted, and is shown in FIG URE 8.

In these circumstances, in operation of the pedal organ, contacts are closed energizing the electromagnet 108, attracting armature 98 from its FIGURE 6 to its FIG- URE 8 position. The lower end of the armature thus shifts to the left in FIGURE 8 with the stop 142 in on position and tracker 118 remaining undisturbed, in its rest position.

This causes the same movement of eyelet 88 to the left that was described with reference to FIGURE 7. Therefore, again upper lever 78, at its lower extremity, is pulled to the left, by the eyelet and rod connection 88, 90 respectively to the armature, causing lever 78 to rock on fulcrum 42 and hence again bias pallet valve element 56 to open position.

In FIGURE 9, the pedal borrow or duplexing action is effected with the stop 142 in off position and with tracker 118 in its normal rest position shown in FIG- URES 6 and 8. Again, on energizing of electromagnet 108, armature 98 is attracted, shifting rod 99 to the left. Since the rod 90 has a connection through eyelet 88 to the lower end of lever 78, lever 78 is again rocked on its fulcrum 42, regardless of the position of the stop action bar, tracker, or lever 84.

If the manual operation (tracker 118) is effected with stop 142 in off position, the pallet valve element 56 will not open in these circumstances, since even though lever 84 is shifted to the left at its lower end by the tracker 118, it will merely rock upon the eyelet 88, loosely, and will transmit no movement whatever to the lever 78.

To summarize the various actions described immediately above, it will be'observed that the construction permits the following:

First: on manual operation (that is, on depression of a key that energizes magnet 128 to shift the tracker 118), with the stop 142 on, the valve 56 will open;

Second: on manual operation with the stop off, the valve will not open;

Third: on pedal operation (that is, depression of a pedal to energize electromagnet 108 and shift rod 90), with the stop 142 on, valve 56 will open; and

Fourth: on pedal operation with the stop off, the valve 56 will still open.

Certain advantages of the construction may, at this point, be briefly summarized, although it is believed that they will be obvious from the objects and description which have been provided above. The construction permits preassembly of valve units, with each unit including the valve body, cap, electromagnet 108, armature 98, and rod 90, so that said units can be swiftly attached in the illustrated position to a toe board, without requiring special preparation of the toe board holes and without requiring complicated and time-consuming valve assembly operations directly at the site of the valve mounting. One need merely mount the preassembled valve, and by use of the spring clip 120 elfect the operative connection of the valve to the tracker 118. The stop bar 142 can be readily suspended from selected valves, by attaching the rods 148, which could if desired be threaded and engaged in tappered holes of the body 26.

Another important characteristic resides in the use of inexpensive, durable plastic materials where heretofore materials of this type, so far as is known, have never been used in the manner shown. The tracker strip and the levers can all be made of thin, sheet plastic, and the simple spring clip connections and the eyelet connections are all adapted to provide swift assembly of the parts in their selected functional and structural interrelationship. A complete valve installation, together with the associated tracker and stop action bars, can be installed in a wind chest by relatively unskilled workers, in a comparatively short time.

It is important to note, in this regard, that the construction is such as to particularly adapt the invention to be used in organ rebuilding operations, that is, the construction permits incorporation of the invention in wind chests that have been previously installed, with the invention even being usable in association with previously installed tracker and stop action bar arrangements.

The invention has, of course, many other desirable characteristics which have been discussed in some detail hereinbefore, including the adaptation for pedal borrow or duplexing, discussed in detail in reference to FIGURES 8 and 9. Then too, the particular construction of the pallet 56, and the manner in which said pallet provides a full supply of wind to the pipes even when opened only to a very small extent, comparatively speaking, constitutes an other desirable feature of the invention.

In FIGURES 11-15, there is shown a modified construction wherein the cap and the valve body are molded as a one-piece plastic article. In this form of the invention, the valve has been generally designated by the reference numeral 150, and includes a valve body 152 hollowly formed to provide a cavity, in generally the same manner and for the same purposes as the first form of the invention. Providing a bottom for the cavity is a lower end wall 154, closing the cavity or passage 156 at the lower end thereof. The cavity or passage extends upwardly from the lower end wall 154, opening through the upper end of the valvebody.

In the side wall of the valve body, there is formed a rectangular vertically elongated inlet 158, communicating between the cavity or passage 156 and the interior of the wind chest. The pallet valve element 56, previously described, is suspended in position over the inlet, by means of pin 66, in the same manner asin the first formof the invention.

At this point, it will be noted that in the modified construction, all the differences reside entirely in the construction of the body, cap, and organ pipe seating means. The levers 78,84, the pallet valve element, and the various pins used to suspend these parts in operative relationship to each other are all the same as in the first form. Similarly, the bracket i190, magnet 108, and associated parts are as in the first form. All the remaining components, including the linkages to the tracker, the connecting rod between the borrow magnet and the lever assembly, the stopbar, etc., remain unchanged in the modified construction, and hence are not illustrated in FIG- URES 1-1-15.

In this form of the invention, the body is insertable vertically downwardly through the opening 54 of the wind chest toe board, from above the wind chest, as distinguished from the first form of the invention in whichthe body is insertable upwardly and held in place by means of the threaded connection of the cap, said cap being inserted from above the toe board.

To facilitate the extension of the body downwardly through openings 54, the body is exteriorly of circular cross section, as clearly shown in FIGURES 12, 13 and 15. At the lower end of the cavity, flat surfaces 160, 162, disposed diametrically opposite each other (FIG- URES 14 and 15) interrupt the regular external circular cross section of the body, with the inlet 158 opening through the surface 160. The provision of the surface is, of course, for the purpose of permitting the fiat pallet valve element 56 to seat properly against the body in position closing the opening 158. The surface 162, of course, is for the purpose of permitting attachment of the flat vertical leg of bracket 101).

Constituting a part of the body and projecting vertically downwardly from the end wall 154 is an integral, depending leg 164 having at its lower end an enlargement 165.

Having an integral connection to the upper end of the body is a pipe toe socket or valve cap 166 which, as in the first form of the invention, includes a flat, disc-like portion the outer diameter of which is greater than the main diameter of the body, and is thus proportioned to seat against the edge portion of the opening 54. In this form of the invention, an annular, compressible gasket 168 underlies the marginal part of the portion 166, providing a seal between the toe board and the cap, preventing leakage of air from the wind chest.

Centrally formed in the disc-like top portion of the cap 166 is an upwardly flaring seat 170 which itself may provide a seat for the toe of the organ pipe. However, if desired, there may be removably positioned within the cap a pipe toe socket insert generally designated 172, and formed as a one-piece, molded plastic article. Said insert, as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 11, can be readily removed or inserted in the valve body and is shown in operative, inserted position in full lines in FIGURE 11.

The insert 172 includes a depending, axially bored portion 174 of circular cross section, snugly engaging in the upper end of the cavity of the body. The lower portion of the insert is integral with an upwardly flaring top portion 176, adapted to provide a seat for the toe of the organ pipe.

Spaced downwardly from the integrally connected cap 166 is a circumferential groove 178 formed in the outer surface of the body and extending continuously through the full circumference thereof. The groove 178 is adapted to receive a split, annular clip 180, said clip being of springable material and being provided, in the illustrated embodiment, with oppositely, outwardly directed ends 182 (FIGURE 13).

The ends 182 can be spread apart manually, to open the clip or ring 180, so that said clip may be fitted into the body. By pressing the ring transversely of the body, it

eventually will move to a position in which it will snap into the groove 178, in the operative position shown in FIGURE 13, the ring then defining a shoulder on the body as shown in FIGURES 11 and 12, which shoulder bears against the underside of the toe board 14, cooperating with the flange of the cap in holding the body in its mounted position.

"In use of this form of the invention, the body would initially appear as in FIGURE 15, that is, it would not have the spring 68, pin 66, and the pins 76 and 83 connected thereto. Nor would the bracket 100 be mounted upon the body. The body is inserted from above, and again, the opening 54 need not be specially sized, burned, etc. One need merely apply the gasket 168, and insert the body through the opening 54. The clip 180 is then applied, effecting the connection of the valve body to the toe board. The body may have been previously drilled to receive the several pins, so that the pins, spring 68, and bracket 100 can be assembled with the body after it is engaged in the toe board. Of course, said pins could have threaded shanks or equivalent means, to facilitate their connection to the body.

The connections of the various levers and the like are effected in the manner previously described herein, so

that it becomes apparent that the main difference between the form shown in FIGURES 11-15, and the previous forms, resides in the formation of the body and cap as a single mold-ed piece, rather than as separate, threadedly connected pieces.

The main advantage in the form shown in FIGURES 11-15 may reside in the fact that simplifying of molding operations, and an attendant reduction in cost of said operations, can be quite possibly achieved. It is important to note, in this connection, that the construction should be so designed as to permit, with the fewest number of different molds, the molding of valve components adapted for supporting all known sizes of organ pipes. In practicing the invention as shown in FIGURES 11-15, I may utilize three main sizes of valve bodies, which sizes would be adapted, when selectively employed with associated pipe toe socket inserts 172, in the supporting of all sizes of organ pipes.

For example, there can be a large size of body 150, and the seat 170 of this body would support the largest organ pipes, the toes of which would be of diameters falling within a range between the minimum and maximum diameters of said seat 170. By positioning an insert 172 in said largest size of valve body, organ pipes of a smaller size could be accommodated, having toes the diameters of which would fall within the range between the minimum and maximum diameters of the flaring seat 176 of the insert 172.

A middle size of valve body 150 would have a seat 170 the maximum diameter of which would be approximately equal to the smallest diameter of the seat 176 of the largest insert 172. The seat 170 of the middle size of body 150 would accommodate a next lower range of organ pipe sizes, the toes of which would be of a diameter falling within the range between the minimum and maximum diameters of the flaring seat of the middle valve body size. A pipe toe socket insert 172, designed to fit in the seat of the middle size of valve body 150, would have a seat 176 the maximum diameter of which would be approximately equal to the minimum diameter of the seat 170 of the middle valve body size.

This would also be carried out for the smallest size of valve body, which would have its own small socket insert, and the smallest socket insert would have a seat the minimum diameter of which would be smaller than the diameter of the toe of the smallest organ pipe in general use. Thus, through the use of six molded components, namely three valve bodies and three socket inserts, all regularly used organ pipe sizes would be accommodated.

It will be understood that the distance between the groove 178 and the downwardly facing shoulder defined by the underside of the cap 166-would be such, in relation to the thickness of the toe board, that the clip 186 would ordinarily snap into the groove 178 only while the gasket 168 is compressed. "In other words, one may pull downwardly upon the body 150, to compress gasket 1'68, and this will move the groove 178 out of the opening 54 of the toe board, in position to receive the clip 180. When the clip is applied, thus, the gasket 168 will remain compressed to effect the desired seal. If a smaller toe board thickness is encountered, shims or gaskets of greater than normal thickness could be employed. The weight of most organ pipes, of course, also serves to hold the gaskets compressed.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles of operation and the means presently devised to carry out said principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any change in construction, materials, and proportions that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A valve for controlling air flow to an organ pipe through an outlet opening of the toe board of a wind chest, comprising: a body formed with a cavity having an inlet and outlet for communicating the cavity with a Wind .chest and organ pipe respectively; a pallet supported on the body over the inlet for movement between inletclosing and -opening positions; and means connected to the body adapted for engaging the same against a toe .board at the location of an outlet opening of the toe board in which opening the body is seated, comprising a cap centrally apertured for communicating with the outlet of the body, the cap and body including confronting shoulders spaced axially of the body and projecting outwardly beyond the circumference of the body for clampingly engaging the toe board therebetween about said opening, said cap being wholly separable from the body to free the same from the toe board.

2. A valve for controlling air flow to an organ pipe through an opening of the toe board of a wind chest, comprising: a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, and a passage extending therebetween; a valve element supported upon the body in position to control the flow of air through the inlet into the passage; means connected with the body in proximity to said outlet and supportable on a toe board in position to communicate the outlet with the foot of an organ pipe extending upwardly from said means; and means cooperating with the first means for connecting the body to the toe board in seated position within the toe board opening, said first and second means respectively including confronting clamping surfaces projecting outwardly beyond the circumference of the body at locations spaced axially thereof for gripping the toe board therebetween, one at least of said means being fully separable from the body.

3. A valve as in claim 2 wherein said first means comprises a cap for the body having a depending skirt extendable through the toe board opening, the body including a neck through which the outlet opens upwardly, said neck and skirt being separably interengaged to provide the connection of the cap to the body.

4. A valve as in claim 2 wherein said first means comprises a cap for the body including a flat top portion and a skirt depending from said top portion for extension through the toe board opening, the top portion having a downwardly facing shoulder constituting one of said clamping surfaces and extending about the skirt for engagement against the upper surface of the toe board about the opening, the body including a neck through which the outlet opens upwardly, said neck and skirt being separably interengaged to provide the connection of the cap to the body, the other clamping surface comprising an upwardly facing shoulder on the body extending about the neck for engaging the underside of the toe board.

5. A valve as inclaim 2 wherein said first means comprises a cap for the body including a fiat top portion and a skirt depending from said top portion for extension through the toe board opening, the top portion having a downwardly facing shoulder constituting one of said clamping surfaces and extending about the skirt for engagement against the upper surface of the toe board about the opening, the body including a neck through which the outlet opens upwardly, said neck being extendable upwardly through said opening of the toe board and the neck and skirt being threadedly connected to provide the connection of the cap to the body, the other clamping surface comprising an upwardly facing shoulder on the body extending about the neck for engaging the underside of the toe board, said top portion and skirt having a center opening with which the outlet of the body communicates, said center opening flaring in an upward direction to provide a tapering seat for the toe of the pipe.

6. A valve for controlling air flow to an organ pipe through an opening of the toe board of a wind chest, comprising: a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, and

a passage extending therebetween; a valve element supported upon the body in position to control theflow of air through the inlet into the passage; means connected with the body in proximity to said outlet and supportable on a toe board in position to communicate the outlet with the foot of an organ pipe extending'upwar'dly from said means, comprising a capfor the body having a rigid connection to the body and including a flat portion formed to a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the body so as to overlie the toe board about said opening; and means cooperating with the cap to grip the toe board therebetween when the body is seated in the toe board opening, said second means being spaced axially of the body and having a surface disposed in confronting relation to said flat portion, for clamping the toe board between the fiat portion and said surface, said second means being fully removable from the body to free the same from the toe board.

7. A valve as in claim 6 wherein the body has a circumferential groove spaced axially of the body from said fiat portion of the cap, said second means comprising a spring clip removably engageable in said groove, to define a shoulder on the body at the location of the groove bearing against the underside of the toe board to cooperate with the fiat portion in mounting the body within the toe board.

8. A valve for controlling air fiow to an organ pipe through an opening of the toe board of a wind chest, comprising: a valve body of elongated form having adjacent one end thereof a side opening constituting an inlet, said body having an opening at its other end constituting an outlet, the body being formed with a cavity into which said inlet and outlet open, said body being rigidly constituted and being formed, at the second named end thereof, with a downwardly facing shoulder adapted to engage against a top surface of a toe board about said opening of the toe board with the body extending downwardly through the toe board opening to locate the inlet within the wind chest, the wall ofvsaid outlet being flared in an upward direction to provide a seat for the toe of an organ pipe communicating with the cavity through the outlet; a valve element movably mounted on the body over said side opening; and a spring clip extending about and removably connected to the body, said clip projecting beyond the body circumference at a location spaced axially of the body from said shoulder to define an upwardly facing surface cooperating with the shoulder to grip a toe board therebetween.

9. A valve for pipe organs comprising an elongated,

hollow body having a cavity extending longitudinally thereof, said body having an outlet opening in one of its ends and having an inlet opening in its side both of which openings communicate with the cavity; a valve element mounted on the body over the side opening; and

first and secondmembers on the body one of which is at L 3 said end of the body and has a flared seat for receiving the toe of an organ pipe, the other member being spaced axially of the body from said one member at a location between the side opening and said one end of the body, said members having confronting shoulders defining opposed clamping surfaces, one of said members being fully separable from the body.

10. A valve as in claim 9 wherein the first member comprises a cap formed at one end with a collar and with a threaded skirt, said one end of the collar having an aperture communicating with the outlet opening in concentric relation to said seat, the body having a threaded neck engaging said skirt, said second member extending circumferentially of the body at the base of the neck.

11. A valve as in claim 10 wherein the second member comprises a collar integrally formed upon and extending at least partially about the circumference of the body, said collars lying in planes normal to the length of the body.

12. A valve as in claim 11 wherein the collar of the second member includes at least one projection disposed outwardly from the circumference of the body and extending toward the collar of the first member for engagement in a mounting surface to which the body is to be connected.

13. A valve as in claim 9 wherein the first member is a collar integrally formed upon the body in concentric relation to the outlet opening, the second member comprising a split spring ring separably clipped to the body and projecting beyond the circumference of the body to cooperate with the collar in forming cooperating clamping surfaces.

14. A valve as in claim 13 wherein the body has a continuous circumferential groove receiving said ring.

15. A valve as in claim 14 wherein the spring ring is formed from a single length of spring wire the ends of which are projected radially outwardly from the body in closely spaced relation to provide spreadable handle elements for the ring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 414,396 Girardin Nov. 5, 1889 461,242 Hamilton Oct. 13, 1891 537,664 Austin Apr. 16, 1895 752,671 Hammer Feb. 23, 1904 1,107,129 Austin Aug. 11, 1914 1,203,775 Page Nov. 7, 1916 2,798,399 Bouma July 9, 1957 2,910,907 Bowman Nov. 3, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 689,380 France May 26,1930 

